By request: Ricotta and Spinach Pancake Bake

I have made this dish a couple of times for Pancake Tuesday as I love to have a pancake main as well as desert! One of the best things about it is that many of the elements can be made beforehand. This year I made the pancake batter on Sunday, the pancakes and tomato sauce on Monday, then assembled, baked and served on Tuesday.

I was feeding six people after work on Tuesday night – hence no pictures! – so I did a double mixture of the pancake batter and also doubled the amount of Simple Tomato Sauce. The ricotta and spinach filling that I use isn’t a mile away from the one I normally make for Spanakopita and it’s also good when used to stuff cannelloni.

To make the pancakes: Sieve the flour and salt in a bowl, make a well in the centre and break the eggs into it. Begin whisking the eggs, gradually incorporating the flour. Add the milk, little by little, and whisk until the batter is smooth and the consistency of single cream. Pour in the butter and mix well. Using a hot pan, cook the pancakes, stacking them as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper. You should get at least 10 out of this mixture.

To make the Simple Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a heavy based frying pan. Add the onions and soften over a moderate heat for 3-4 minutes, add the garlic and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Pour the tinned tomatoes into the pan, squashing them as you stir, add the bay leaf and sugar, and simmer for at least 15 minutes to concentrate the flavour. Season to taste and, if liked, purée until smooth.

To make the Ricotta and Spinach filling: Mix the spinach, ricotta, eggs and chopped onion together with a generous grating of nutmeg. Place a tenth of the filling on the first pancake, roll up neatly and put into a large deep ovenproof dish. Repeat for the rest of the pancakes.

Using a ladle, spread the tomato sauce over the filled pancakes and sprinkle liberally with Mozzarella. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. Serve with a leafy green salad.

Have been reading your blog for a while now and it’s great to see other Irish people writing about food. It is only a matter of time before hundreds of Irish food blogs pop up, they really are in short supply at the moment! I started mine (I am an Irish chef who travels all over the world cooking for billionaires and celebrities) 3 months ago and there is definitely an audience out there! Keep up the good work and rest assured there is an Irish audience there to be tapped!

The only times that I’ve ever used halloumi, Deborah, I’ve cooked it the Nigella way – pan-frying slices and serving it with fresh red chillis, lemon juice and olive oil – and it’s good if you have a pan that you can get hot enough to really sear the cheese. Actually, now that you mention it, I have a pack of halloumi currently languishing in my Dublin fridge – something to investigate one of these spring evenings!Great to hear from another Irish blogger, Niall, especially one who’s travelling so far afield. The Boyfriend’s cousin just spent the last year working as a sailor on one of those yachts, based mainly in the Mediterranean, and he spoke very highly about the chefs on board his yacht, how they used to produce fabulous meals and breads from such a tiny galley. I’ve a new-found respect for sea-based chefs!

Caroline – I made this tonight, and I love it! Reminds me of Italian enchiladas, or maybe stuffed cannelloni with crepes instead of pasta. I pulled out a roll from the dish and sliced it like sushi. Too bad my camera died.

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